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Obituary: Former Cosmos star Van der Elst dies at 62

Two days after New York Cosmos teammate Roberto Cabanasdied suddenly, Francois
Van der Elst died. The former Belgian star, considered the Eden Hazard of his era, passed away at the age of 62. He had been in a coma since suffering a massive heart attack on New Year's
Day.

Since then, he was in a coma, but he died last night. Van der Elst became an European football star in the 70s. After his career, he owned a snooker bar in Opwijk.

Van der Elst started his career in Anderlecht at the age of 15, moved to the Cosmos in 1980 and one year later he left for West Ham in England. He finished his career at Lokeren. It ended at the
age of 30 with a fracture on his leg.

Van der Elst, who played 44 games for Belgium, owned a pool hall in Opwijk.